1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improvements in the collection of trash and, more particularly, to an improved vehicle having a compartmented bed for collecting trash in segregated spaces.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known to collect segregated waste materials, such as metal cans, newspapers and glass jars and bottles in compartmentalized containers and then to lift the containers up to inverted positions in which the contents of the containers can be dumped into vehicles having walls defining separate compartments. One inventive concept relating to this field is disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 277,474, filed Nov. 23, 1988, now abandoned which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 053,205, filed May 21, 1987, now abandoned. In such disclosure, the vehicle is provided with a bed, a pair of outer side walls and inner wall means for defining a number of side-by-side compartments extending longitudinally of the vehicle. Each compartment is adapted for receiving a specific recyclable material, such as metal, paper or glass. Each compartment has a blade extending the entire height of the compartment, and the blades are movable through the respective compartments for compressing the materials in the compartments and for forcing the materials out of the compartments through a discharge opening at the rear of the vehicle.
The vehicle has a top opening to allow segregated, recyclable materials to be directed into the bed of the vehicle when a compartmented container is lifted and pivoted into an inverted position so that the container dumps its contents into the bed of the truck into the respective compartments thereof.
Other disclosures relating to this general subject matter are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,424,953, 2,258,988, 2,606,675, 3,300,128, 3,643,993, 4,113,125, 4,328,988, 4,373,849, 4,453,879, 4,632,628 and 4,676,431, and German Patents 3,420,058 and 3,537,546.
While the disclosures of the prior art provides structures which are satisfactory in certain applications, it has been found that improvements in trash collection vehicles still are needed to accommodate the increased demand for trash collection capability as well as to minimize labor costs and costs of trash collection equipment. The present invention satisfies this need.